Farmers can apply for new irrigated acres until December 15th
/Farmers within the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) boundaries, have an opportunity to apply for new irrigated acres for 2018.
At their October meeting, the LENRD board voted to allow up to 2,500 acres of new groundwater irrigation development in the Hydrologically Connected Area (10/50 Area), and to allow up to 2,500 acres of new groundwater irrigation development in the Non-Hydrologically Connected Area (Non 10/50 Area) under the LENRD's standard variance process for 2018.
The board is receiving applications for Standard Variances until December 15th, 2017.
LENRD Assistant General Manager, Brian Bruckner, said, "Standard variance requests will only be considered for approval from areas within the district that fall within the top five Potential for Development categories on the map provided by Flatwater Group. Standard variances will not be available in the Quantity Subareas already defined."